Marta Allevato

In an interview with AsiaNews before the end of his tenure in Moscow, Mgr Jurkovic looks back at his time in the Russian capital, a time that saw the end of the Soviet Union, the establishment of diplomatic relations between Russia and the Holy See, and the first meeting between the pope and the patriarch. For him, the first consequence of the Cuba meeting is the normalisation of relations between Orthodox and Catholics. In late October, Moscow will host a big Christian conference organised by the Patriarchate and Billy Graham’s evangelical movement. The Holy See is expected to send a large delegation. The nuncio hopes that the dialogue between Churches can contribute to a renewed political dialogue between Russia and Europe.

The major archbishop of Kiev speaks of Cuba encounter: a meeting of "two parallel worlds". The Joint Declaration "generally positive" for future cooperation. Points which concern Ukraine “controversial”: the Vatican is being exploited by Russian Orthodox diplomacy. Shevchuk reiterates: the Greek-Catholic Church has never supported the war, provoked by "Russian aggression".

Msgr. Pezzi speaks to AsiaNews about ideas to strengthen cooperation on the ground with the Orthodox Church: prisons, working with families and the disabled. Holy Door opened in the North Pole: "There is no condition in which we live that is an impediment to experiencing mercy."

The representative of the Russian Orthodox Church has been removed from the role of head of the Synodal Department for Relations with Society: "I tried to say that we should be more critical of immoral actions undertaken by the authorities".

Whilst Moscow continues its military support to the Damascus regime, its cooperation does not extend to Syrian migrants. For Svetlana Gannushkina, Russia almost never grants refugee status. So far, only two Syrians have received political asylum, whilst an Aleppo family has been in limbo for the past year.

Translation presented at Spirit Library Cultural Centre, in the presence of the Vatican nuncio. The event focused on the dialogue between Father Igor Kovalevsky, secretary of the Catholic Bishops' Conference and the Russian Orthodox theologian Fr. Vladimir Shmalij.

The Russian leader returns to Vatican after two years; the Syrian crisis overtaken by Ukraine, Pope viewed by Moscow continues as a significant interlocutor in context of exacerbated tensions with the West. The defense of persecuted Christians around the world Federation’s weapon of "soft power".

The Holy See has officially announced that the Russian president will meet Pope Francis. This would be his second visit. The Orthodox Church noted that a meeting between Kirill and the pope is still on the agenda. For its representative, “Despite some important outstanding issues, the dialogue between the Roman Catholic Church and the Russian Orthodox Church has developed actively in recent years.”

Metropolitan Hilarion, the Moscow Patriarchate’s ‘foreign minister’, made the announcement after a visit to China where he met the leaders of the State Administration for Religious Affairs. The first priest should serve in Harbin. Two more ordinations are expected. With a new Cold War as the background, the Moscow-Beijing strategic alliance also has a Church connection with the People's Republic recognising the latter’s 'political' role in Russia.

The President of the Commission for the pastoral care of the family of the Archdiocese of the Mother of God in Moscow tells AsiaNews about the mission of the Catholic Church in the country. Despite government policies in favour of traditional values, the divorce rate hovers around 70 per cent. Working with the Orthodox Church is difficult, and ecumenical projects are few.

In an interview with AsiaNews on the sidelines of the ROACO meeting in the Vatican, Mgr Sviatoslav Shevchuk speaks about the conclusions of the last Synod. He also takes stock of the situation in his country, where fighting continues in the east between separatists and the regular army. "We expect the new president to bring the eastern part of the country back to normal," he said.

Through AsiaNews Mgr Sviatoslav Shevchuk makes an appeal for reconciliation, following Moscow Patriarchate's attacks. "It is time to recognise the dignity of the Ukrainian people and Church."